Match Feed

North Melbourne won the contested ball 44 to 36 in the last quarter and clearances 13 to 10. The Kangaroos outscored Melbourne 6.3.39 to 2.5.17 from stoppages for the match.

Q4 31:16

A remarkable victory for North Melbourne. Captain Jack Ziebell was enormous in the last term with 10 disposals, five contested possessions and five clearances for the term.

Q4 31:06

The siren has sounded to end Q4.

Q4 28:13

BEHINDDemons (Michael Hibberd)

Q4 27:34

BEHINDDemons (Rushed)

Q4 26:07

Clayton Oliver has had 10 disposals this quarter, all handballs, with nine coming via a contested possession. He has a remarkable 26 contested possessions for the match, the second highest tally recorded in a match this year.

Q4 25:23

BEHINDKangaroos (Rushed)

Q4 19:32

GOALKangaroos (Jy Simpkin)

Q4 19:31

North Melbourne are hanging on brilliantly against the wind in the final quarter. Despite only going at 46 per cent by foot compared to Melbourne's 73 per cent for the term, they lead contested possession by five and still maintain a slim lead.

Q4 14:49

GOALDemons (Tom McDonald)

Q4 13:08

Max Gawn hasn't had a disposal this quarter but has amassed 11 hitouts, with six of these being to advantage. It has given Melbourne a seven to four advantage in clearances this quarter.

Q4 11:40

BEHINDKangaroos (Jy Simpkin)

Q4 07:41

BEHINDDemons (Tom McDonald)

Q4 06:39

Clayton Oliver has a matchhigh 20 contested possessions and 12 clearances. Of these contested possessions, 13 have been stoppage first possessions and only five of them have come post-clearance.

Q4 06:38

Kangaroos InterchangeBraydon Preuss off due to an injury.

Q4 05:19

BEHINDDemons (Jeff Garlett)

Q4 02:34

GOALKangaroos (Shaun Higgins)

Q4 01:05

GOALDemons (Jeff Garlett)

Q4 00:00

Q4 is now underway.

Q3 31:41

Luke McDonald was huge for the Kangaroos in the third term. His seven disposals generated 331 metres for his side, an average of 47 metres per disposal. He also laid six tackles, had five inside 50s and kicked a goal.

Q3 31:31

The siren has sounded to end Q3.

Q3 31:28

Despite going goalless in the third term, Melbourne wouldn't be unhappy with their position, being only a goal down. They narrowly won contested ball and clearances by one each for the quarter and despite the wind, only lost inside 50s by four.

Q3 29:44

BEHINDDemons (James Harmes)

Q3 25:21

BEHINDKangaroos (Sam Durdin)

Q3 24:32

BEHINDKangaroos (Taylor Garner)

Q3 21:08

Luke McDonald has a matchhigh 570 metres gained for the match, with 12 of his 16 disposals coming via foot. Michael Hibberd leads the Demons in this area with 523 metres gained, with 14 of his 18 disposals being kicks.

Q3 19:33

BEHINDKangaroos (Ben Brown)

Q3 16:33

Clayton Oliver has been huge around the contest for Melbourne, with 20 disposals, 14 via a contested possession, eight clearances, seven tackles and a goal.

Q3 15:23

BEHINDDemons (James Harmes)

Q3 13:29

In the last five minutes, North Melbourne have been very efficient, totalling 10 disposals at 100 per cent efficiency, three inside 50s and three goals.

Q3 13:29

Demons InterchangeJesse Hogan and is possibly out for the game.

Q3 13:23

Kangaroos InterchangeJarrad Waite and is possibly out for the game.

Q3 12:56

GOALKangaroos (Scott D. Thompson)

Q3 10:50

GOALKangaroos (Luke McDonald)

Q3 09:53

BEHINDDemons (Rushed)

Q3 09:09

Ben Brown's fourth goal ties him with Lance Franklin on 51 goals for the competition lead. It was North Melbourne's fifth goal from the match from a stoppage chain. They rank sixth in the AFL from scores from stoppages this season.

Q3 08:43

GOALKangaroos (Ben Brown)

Q3 08:25

Kangaroos InterchangeAaron Mullett off due to an injury.

Q3 05:07

Jordan Lewis is enjoying a role behind the football. He has 21 disposals at an efficiency of 81 per cent, eight contested possessions and a teamhigh six possession gains.

Q3 01:16

BEHINDKangaroos (Shaun Atley)

Q3 00:00

Q3 is now underway.

Q2 32:36

Melbourne had a strong quarter with the breeze kicking 6.5.41 to 2.0.12. They led the inside 50 count 19 to six for the term and had an advantage of six in contested possession and 25 for overall disposals.

Q2 32:36

The last four minutes of the term were costly for the Kangaroos. In this time (with scores tied), Melbourne had seven disposals, five via contested possession, three clearances, three inside 50s and 2.1.13 to no score.

Q2 32:26

The siren has sounded to end Q2.

Q2 31:35

BEHINDDemons (Jake Melksham)

Q2 30:12

GOALDemons (Tom McDonald)

Q2 29:12

Melbourne regain the lead on the back of another intercept possession, its fourth goal from this source for the quarter. It was the Demons fourth goal launched from a forward 50 chain for the quarter and their fifth for the match.

Q2 28:52

GOALDemons (Jayden Hunt)

Q2 23:47

Melbourne has been able to generate a lot of repeat entries this quarter, leading the inside 50 count 15 to four. As a result, all four of its goals this quarter have been launched from its forward half, with three goals being launched from inside 50.

Q2 20:22

Melbourne leads the inside 50 count 13 to three this quarter, enjoying 74 per cent time in forward half for the term. The Demons have outscored the Kangaroos 4.4.28 to 2.0.12 for the quarter.

Q2 20:05

GOALDemons (Jesse Hogan)

Q2 16:59

BEHINDDemons (Jeff Garlett)

Q2 15:23

Demons InterchangeMitch Hannan off due to an injury.

Q2 14:53

GOALDemons (Jake Melksham)

Q2 13:30

Melbourne leads clearances by one, 15 to 14, yet the Kangaroos have outscored the Demons 4.1.25 to 0.1.1 from this score source. This season, the Kangaroos have been outscored by six points per game from this source, ranked 16th.

Q2 13:08

BEHINDDemons (Dom Tyson)

Q2 11:48

GOALKangaroos (Jy Simpkin)

Q2 11:07

Contested numbers are even at 58 apiece in what has been a very even game statistically across the board.

Q2 09:09

BEHINDDemons (Tom McDonald)

Q2 05:37

GOALDemons (Jake Melksham)

Q2 03:36

GOALDemons (Clayton Oliver)

Q2 02:08

BEHINDDemons (Rushed)

Q2 01:41

Ben Brown kicks his 50th goal for the season. This puts him just one goal behind Lance Franklin in the race for the Coleman Medal. He has kicked 50.22 for the season, an accuracy rate of 69 per cent, ranked second in accuracy of the top 20 goal kickers.

Q2 00:26

GOALKangaroos (Ben Brown)

Q2 00:00

Q2 is now underway.

Q1 29:25

Dom Tyson was prolific for Melbourne in the opening term with 14 disposals and 269 meters gained. Ten of these disposals came via an uncontested possession, but he had a disposal efficiency of just 50 per cent.

Q1 29:25

North Melbourne made use of the wind in the latter stage of the quarter. In the last 10 minutes of the term, they went at 75 per cent efficiency by foot and improved their kickto-handball ratio to 1.14, up from 0.53 in the first 19 minutes.

Q1 29:15

The siren has sounded to end Q1.

Q1 29:10

BEHINDKangaroos (Shaun Higgins)

Q1 28:47

Neville Jetta has been outmarked in his last three oneon-one contests inside his defensive 50. Jetta's ability to neutralise these contests has been a strength of his this season.

Q1 26:54

GOALKangaroos (Ben Brown)

Q1 26:37

From the 18minute mark of the quarter, North Melbourne has enjoyed six of the last seven inside 50s, cashing in with three goals from these entries.

Q1 21:27

GOALKangaroos (Ben Brown)

Q1 19:27

GOALKangaroos (Andrew Swallow)

Q1 18:36

Melbourne would be pleased with their first quarter to date, taking the lead against the breeze. Both goals have come via intercept possessions. They average 60 points per game from this score source this season, ranked third in the AFL.

Q1 17:51

GOALDemons (Jeff Garlett)

Q1 16:37

Despite kicking with a strong breeze, North Melbourne is tending to use handball more than kicking, with just 24 kicks to 42 handballs thus far in the match,

Q1 16:12

GOALDemons (Jeff Garlett)

Q1 14:41

North Melbourne's tackle pressure has been good to start the game, leading the tackle count 18 to nine.

Q1 12:27

BEHINDKangaroos (Braydon Preuss)

Q1 09:15

Demons InterchangeNeville Jetta off due to an injury.

Q1 08:47

The first goal of the match goes to North Melbourne on the back of stringing some effective disposals together12 in a row, leading to the goal to Jarrad Waite.

Q1 08:37

GOALKangaroos (Jarrad Waite)

Q1 07:12

BEHINDKangaroos (Rushed)

Q1 06:55

The kicking efficiency is only getting worse for both sides. North Melbourne is now at 25 per cent by foot and the Demons are at 20 per cent for the match.

Q1 06:46

BEHINDKangaroos (Taylor Garner)

Q1 03:04

Both sides are struggling to adjust to the blustery conditions in Hobart. The Kangaroos are kicking at an efficiency of 50 per cent, while the Demons are going at just 30 per cent by foot to start the match.

Q1 00:00

Q1 is now underway.

Q0 00:00

Since Round 9, North Melbourne has allowed its opposition to score from 51 per cent of inside 50 entries the worst percentage conceded by any side.

Q0 00:00

The Demons have recorded a scoring accuracy of 63 per cent this season the highest percentage of any side.

Q0 00:00

The Demons recorded 29 more contested possessions than the Power last week their best differential recorded this season.

Q0 00:00

The Kangaroos have scored from 37 per cent of their centre bounce clearances this season, ranked No.1.

Q0 00:00

Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.

"We’ve got a big advantage playing down here. We know how to play it and we know how to score at both ends and how to defend at both ends so the players have got real confidence regardless," North Melbourne coach Brad Scott said post-match.

"It was a fantastic win, you know, we just had to fight really hard.

"They’re a good side and we had to really scrap hard to win and we had some adversity there at different stages of the ground and we needed guys to step up."

North Melbourne led by nine points heading into the final term but were expected to be run down by a Demons side with a huge breeze at their back.

But they scrapped, holding the Demons to just two goals.

Shaun Higgins topped the disposal count for North Melbourne with 28.

The Kangaroos also had injury issues, with Jarrad Waite leaving the field in the third quarter due to a calf complaint.

They have won 17-straight games against Melbourne, dating back to 2006.

MEDICAL ROOM North Melbourne: Jarrad Waite couldn't overcome a lower-leg injury during the third term and spent most of the second half in a tracksuit on the bench, indicating he may be out for some time. Coach Brad Scott wasn't able to elaborate on how long the veteran forward may be missing, but it seems likely the Roos will have to dig deeper into their list to replace him in the short-to-medium term.

Melbourne: Jesse Hogan's broken collarbone was the major concern for the Demons and while Simon Goodwin refused to rule him out for the season, the key forward's return in 2017 must surely be questionable at this point.

NEXT UP The Kangaroos will be looking to claw their way further from the foot of the table when they take on Collingwood under lights at Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening. The Demons face a crunch contest on the road against GWS at UNSW Canberra Oval early on Saturday afternoon.